The Original Kingdom Concept
Read: Genesis 1:26-29
Key Verse: Genesis 1:26 – And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.
Organized Christianity as a religion is well-known, well-established, well-studied, well research, well-recorded and well-distributed; but little is known about the Kingdom of God. Religion is probably the biggest obstacle to the kingdom because religion has created a culture of leaving earth for Heaven, while the Kingdom has a Heavenly mandate to impact the earth. Genesis 1 and 2 is a prototype of the Kingdom of God, a perfect reality where God is supreme, man is made in his image and likeness, in right relationship with God and ruling the earth on God’s behalf.
God said, let us make man in our image and likeness but let them have dominion. It is the dominion mandate that is at the core of the gospel of the kingdom. God created and rules the heavens but he wanted to extend his heavenly authority to the visible earth. In order to do so, he created man and gave mankind dominion over the rest of creation. Adam and Eve did not lose a religion (they never had one), what they lost was a kingdom. Man did not fall from heaven, man fell from his position of authority and dominion in the earth. What Adam lost through rebellion, Jesus came to restore through his obedience. Romans 5:19 – For as by one man’s disobedience (Adam) many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus) shall many be made righteous.
Jesus brought back to earth the kingdom we lost in the Garden of Eden and gives us access to it again. As we invade every territory, every institution, every system, we bring the influence of the Kingdom of God into that area.
Thought for the day:
How can I exercise dominion and authority in my life on behalf of God?